Crimea, Northern Ireland sign protocol to strengthen cooperation

AQMESCİT/SIMFEROPOL (QHA) - Northern Ireland and Crimea have signed a protocol, under that they will strengthen relations in economy and culture. In addition, the leadership of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea appealed to the delegation of this administrative and political unit of the UK with a request for assistance in the opening of a tourist office of Crimea in London, the press service of the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, according to UKRINFORM. "The document was signed by Deputy Head of the Council of Ministers of ARC Heorhii Psariov and a member of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Jeffrey Donaldson," the Crimean government's information policy department reported. According to Heorhii Psariov, last year Crimea and the UK significantly increased the export and import of goods; the volume of direct investment from the UK to Crimea was USD 55 million. "Crimea is interested in further development of trade and economic relations with foreign partners, in strengthening interregional relations and is always ready to provide maximum assistance to investors from the UK and Ireland," - Psariov said. He noted Crimea and Northern Ireland have a great potential to cooperate in the resort and agro-industrial sectors as well as in culture, energy and infrastructure. In addition, the Crimea's vice-prime-minister asked the members of the delegation of Northern Ireland to assist to open the Crimean tourist office in London. In turn, Jeffrey Donaldson expressed a strong interest in increasing two-way flow of tourists between Northern Ireland and Crimea. Crimea is a unique region, Donaldson said, expressing the belief there are great opportunities for the development of bilateral cooperation, including in the resorts area, and assuring that everything will be done to open Crimea's office, promote the Ukrainian region among the British, and increase the flow of tourists. As reported, earlier tourist offices of Crimea opened in Riga, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kyiv, Yekaterinburg, Baku, Minsk and other cities in the near and far abroad.QHA